Distribution and Intracellular Localization of Titanium in Plants After Titanium Treatment

The physiological role of titanium in plants has not been elucidated yet , but a higher rate of growth , greater chlorophyll content and higher productivity, among others , may be attributed to this element. We have investigated the distribution of titanium in wheat seedlings after Titavit (a Ti · ascorbate containing plant conditioner) treatment applied either through the leaf or through the root. In field experiments, we also sprayed spinach plants with Titavit. We have found a practically unidirectional tran slocation of Ti from the shoot into the root, and a preferential local ization of Ti in the nuclear cell fraction as seen by JCP-AES (inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry). Electron microscopic X·ray microanalysis after chemical fixation showed little or no accumulation of Ti in the cells of the treated organs . However, if there was in appreciable Xray emission at 4.5 keV (Ti), it was recorded from the nucleoplasm and nucleolus. The comparison of ICPAES and X-ray analyses lead s us to the conclusion that the majority of Ti may be in a diffusible form in the treated cells, except the nuclei, where Ti may be bound firmly.